Several solutions have been proposed for providing anchor points on a roof, but these are normally intended for permanent fitment. Such anchor points are made available so that a person working on the roof, for example, can attach himself to the anchor point by means of a rope or cable, etc., so that in the event of a fall, he will be constrained from falling off the roof.
Thus, conventional roof-anchoring devices for permanent fitment require access to the roof support structure such as a batten or rafter. Direct access to the support structure is generally required and involves mounting the roof anchor prior to the application of the external covering of the roof such as tiles, sarking, sheeting or other cladding so that upon application of the external covering to the support structure, the roof anchor extends beyond the external covering. The anchor will, of course, need to be suitably flashed to provide a weather-proofed fitment.
On the other hand, if the external covering has already been applied to the roof support structure, then at least one unit of the external covering, e.g., a single sheet of covering, must be removed to provide access to the roof support structure. Thus, for example, where large units of sheeting form the external covering of the roof, considerable time and effort may have to be expended to remove a single unit to gain access to the roof support structure. Furthermore, there is also a risk that damage to the covering may occur or, more particularly, once it is re-laid, the covering might not properly seal against the elements.
However, the removal of the covering as described above may be impractical or inconvenient. Alternatively, so-called retro-fit systems have been developed that provide a solution for securing a permanent anchor point by using a tool through an access facility, i.e., a relatively small opening, for example, which is then later sealed.
In any event, all of the foregoing solutions have as their basic premise that the anchor is left permanently in place once fitted. This, however, may not be convenient or even desirable having regard to aesthetic considerations and may be unnecessarily wasteful as there may be little need for an anchor point at any time in at least the foreseeable future. Furthermore, anchor points may be desired at various locations, particularly as work progresses on a site, once again adding to the total cost if several permanent anchors are utilized.